RUSH TO SUNDOWN

It was an hour until complete sundown there in Mangoon Forest. A labyrinth of tall, bewitched trees surrounding the village of Berton. The light continued to fall upon the horizon as Marco and Phillip rushed to repair their wagon.

Phillip strained to unfasten the bolt that connected the wheel to the main structure.

Marco marched around in paranoia and fear. His head on a swivel at every sound that Sweat dripped from the crown of his head into his ears and mouth.

“We have to get out of here!” Marco said.

“We could, if you’d help me!” Phillip exclaimed while straining more with the bolt. Marco ran to Phillip’s side and they pulled together until the bolt loosened enough to be taken off. “There must not be any more delay.”

“Always bossing me around like a child!”

“Because you always act like a child! Now pull!” exclaimed Phillip

Marco flinched as he began to lookout and about around them. He hurriedly grabbed the large staff from the wagon to stand on guard. His hands turned pale as he clinched his fingers and palms around the stick.

“What good is that going to do in our current predicament Marco? I told you we shouldn’t have taken this route. Horses broke loose and now we will have to push this cart by ourselves.”

“I thought it was the quickest way back to the village,” Marco replied.

“Well, you thought very, very wrong! Those children need this medicine! and base on this route and how bumpy it is our wagon won’t hold much longer. We shouldn’t be out after dark here in this forest. Time is not on our side!”

“I know that, Phillip,” Marco said.

“Then help me and stop standing around for God’s sake!”

Time passed with the sun lowering more and more over the treetops. The wheel was fixed, and they are on their way. They pulled the wagon through great exertion down the road amidst the trees that swayed above them. Countless splinters etched their way painfully into Marco and Phillip’s hands and arms as they try to pull the weight.

“Hurry!” Phillip yelled above the wind that blew around them.

Marco peeked behind them and could see in the distance that darkness was in pursuit of them. The sunlight became dimmer with every step that they would take. The wagon bumped and bumped upon every rock and tree limb in its path. There suddenly was light ahead from fire set on sticks outside of the village as it came into sight. They ran with the wagon only to trip upon themselves crashing to the ground with some of the medicine bottles falling out and breaking. Phillip and Marco look at the catastrophe with disbelief. A horse neighed in the darkness approaching. Marco stood to see what it was and out came a brown quarter horse bolting by with large scratches and blood dripping its back and legs.

“They’re coming! Grab what you can and get inside the border!” Phillip yelled in urgency. He and Marco speedily grabbed bottles that hadn’t been broken within their arms and run towards the village. A horrific and evil shriek bellows out behind them with the night upon their heels. They press forward from two miles down to half a mile. Men with swords and spears stood at the border beckoning them to hurry. The shriek became louder and louder and grew closer. Within seconds ahead of the dark, Marco and Phillip made it within the border. Out of breath they fell to the ground while still holding on to the bottles that they could save.

“You’re safe now boys. Breathe,” one of the villagers said. Marco and Phillip stare into the darkness just outside of the border where they saw three pairs of glowing yellow eyes followed by a symphony of deep growls. The eyes disappeared.

“Many of the bottles didn’t make it. Get what we saved to those that are in need. Quick!” Marco said to the men. He and Phillip handed their bottles to the men who ran off immediately. He then says to Phillip, “Next time, we go another route.”

“Agreed.”